Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-08-10
DISASTROUS WRECK.
ENGINE AND FIVE TREfeHr.cAHs
pLuNas IIT, TIE DOCK.
A Ni,plscsi Switch the Cause.-The
Freight Taken Out In .
Damaged Condition.

directly through Richmond to southern
points is due at the depot at the foot
of Virginia street at 300 L. M.-lnst
twenty five minutes before the passen-
ger train over the same line leaves for
West Point. Yesterday this train was
on time, and when it reached tho York
River depot at Twenty-eighth street
il was on time, or nearly so, and run
ming not rapidly, as the city ordinance
provides against fast running OF trains
within the corporate limits OF the city.
TIE LOCALITY.
But recently what is known as the
Deck. Street extension has been com-
pleted. and now the trains over this
road, when they reach a point not
many feet above rwenty-eighth street
coming west. cross a drawhridge near
the ship-locks, and run upon the
south side of the dock to the Dan
vile depot. On the main track,
after crossing the drawbridgc, there
is considerable pull made heavy
more by the strong curve than the IN.
cline, which, however, is quite a good
one. To successfully make the trip
around these curves and across the
drawbridge heavy train as 22 yester-
day with twenty-one heayily-loaded
cais) was. fair rate of speed has to be
used, with a good supply OF power and
steam. The train when it reached this
point Yesterday was thought to be run
ming about six or eight miles an hour
PLUNGE INTO THE DOCK.
About seventy-fve yards from the
drawbridge ON the north side is
switch at which several side-tracks, i'll
Guiding what was originally the main
one, spring off, and one of these leads
| by the side of the Bright Hope Rail
way Company's yard to the waters
edge. This one is only used as place for
standing cars when there is need OF
room on the other tracks. Yesterday
when the train arrived there were
10 cars on it. Coming up at the speed
above indicated the engineer, ex-
| pecting nothing wrong, allowed his
| train to go ahead, until when, after
| passing the switch few feet, he fount
that his train wGs on the wrong track.
| As soon rs this discovery was made
the throttle was thrown wide open,
the machinery wss reversed, and
sand was freely used on the track to
check the motion of the train. This
| threw up clouds of dust as high as a
house, but had not the desired effect
In fact, the sand on this unused track,
grown up with weeds, seemed but to
add to the velocity, and it was soon
evident that the train would plunge
into the water. When near
the end of the track, which
comes to mn abrupt stop just over the
bank OF the dock, the engineer, Mr..
I. n. Driven, jumped of, and his bro
ther, who was the fireman., quickly did
likewise, neither of them taking the
step any too soon, as in the twinkling
of an eye the engine made beailone
plunge and was enyeloped in tho Wa
tery shroud.
HoW 1T LOOKED.
persons who were in the immediat,
neiQhborhood and witnessed the wreck
said the engine when it cleared the
track made complete tnIn, landed
on the side and went entirely out oI
sight. Five of the cars followed. The
first struck some trestling which ex-
tended short way below the draw.
bridge and was badly broken up. The
next four followed, but not being 81
much influenced 10y the curve fell further
down the stream and struck the water
clear Of obstruction. The heavy and
long train remaining on the track and
the strong coupling supported the cars
to q certain extent and kept them from
striking the water as soOnas they other
wise would have done. The consc-
quence was that the first one, driven
bv the momentum OF the train y motion.
went far enough for the front end
Of it TO strike against the south
bank OF tie dock. The next two lay
wholly in the water and the rear truck
OF the last one remained on the track.
The front end went down the ombank-
meIt nearly to the waters edge, and
the rear end, having broken loose from
the truck, was left standing high and
dry several feet III the air.
TAKING. OUT GOODS.
A telephone message Immediately
sent informed Captain Green, superin-
tendent of the Danville system, OF the
disaster, and he at once Oldered forces
of lands from the shops in Manchester
and went himself to see about the
trouble, as did Mr.. Gentry, master ma
chinist, Mr.. Holt, and Others Of the
officials. Finding that the cars,
loaded, could not be drawn
out OF the water it was finally
decided to cut into them and remove
their contents az rapidly as possible,
and numbers OF strong and able hands
were soon so engaged. All Of the cars
were well filed with merchandise oi
almost every imaginable kind and de
scription. In the first were half-dozer
rmore organsand pianos consigned tC
North Carolina parties. When th,
two cars that lay wholly in the water
were cut into and the water let in they
sank entirely, ard it was with grea'
difficulty that the things could be got
ten out at all. In them were found
some quite handsome goods, which, j
is thought, are very much damaged
Everything as far as possible was re
moved from all the cars and placed il
the York River depot, where they Cal
dry as fast as possible.
THE DAMAGE.
CAPTAIN Green, when asked by Dis
l n IL
probably amount to, said that it wa
impossible for him to estimate tina
the chief damage was to the goods, an,
not having received the bills o
lading and most OF them being packee
in boxes so that be could not see wha
they were, he could not form any cor
rect idea.
The cars are very much damaged
but will not amount to total wreck
except probably in the case Of the on
which was broken up in falling agains
the tresting. The engine is still bu
ried under the water, and the damag'
to it will, it is thought, be very great
Ii is old, but very good one. In add
ton to the damage done by cutting int,
them, the cars were right much broker
up by the severe jerks and wrenches in
falling. The iron-work will probably
be found not much injured.
NOT MUCH DELAYED.
Tho accident delaved the train buI